Railway switch



Nav. 25,1924- 1 x Y 1,516,5l3

' l ...1, c, nmfl-'Ev RAILwA swITdH Filed June 4, 1924 2 Sheena-Sheen T1 f' im? 11g if \17` 3 V I V EN TOR.

., A TTORNEYS.

Nov. 25, 1924. 1,516,513

J. C. TAFFE RAILWAY SWITCH Filed June 4, 1924 2 Sheets-Shoo! 2 EN TOR.

By QL I TTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 25, i924 lJOI-IN C. TAFFE, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

RAILWAY 'SWITCH Application inea :rune 4, 1924.A serial No. 717,822.

To all whom it may concern.' n

Be it known that I, JOHN C. TAFFE, a citizen of the United States, residingat Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and Sta-te of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Switches; and I dol hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention.

This invention relates to improvements in railway switches or the like, and has for one of its principal objects the provision of such a switch which can be readily and positively set to transfer a train, car or the like from any one of a plurality of tracks to any one of a corresponding set of similar tracks.

One of the important objects of this invention is the provision of a simple and readily operated, while at the same ,time efii-' cient means for quickly switching or transferring trains. or cars from one system of tracks to another system at a point of convergence with a minimum expenditure of time and` labor.

i Still another important object of this invention is the provision in a railway switch of switching means capable of being readily and positively operated and also of being securely locked in any desired position so as to be proof against any unauthorized tampering therewith.

Still another and further important object of the invention is the provision of a combined multiple railway switch and signal means whereby the signal means will automatically indicate any one of a number of positions into which the switch is capa ble of being moved.

Other and further important objects of the invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the accompan ing drawing and following specification.

The invention, in a preferred form, is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the improved railway switch, showing, for purposes of illustration, a three track system set for straight ahead on each track., the signal means being removed.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view, taken on the line 2 2 of Figure 1, illustrating the operating and locking elements of the switch, certain operations and parts being shown in dotted lines.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the linev 3 3 of Figure 2, looking inthe direction indicated by the arrows.

Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7 are top plan views illustrating four different switching combinations possible with the improved device of thisv invention.

As shown in the drawings:

'The reference numeral 1() indicates generally a casing for the improved railway switch which, in the present embodiment of the invention, is designed to be applied to' three sets of rails or tracks 11, 12, and 13, respectively.

As illustrated, five particular switching arrangements are capable of being made by the present embodiment of the invention, including the straight ahead position which is .illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. It will be obvious that additional switching rails for various other combinations may be supplied.

The switching rails, asbest shown in Figure 2, are mounted upon afpair of rotatable drums 14s, each drum being supported in suitable bearings by means of extending shafts or the like. As shown, each drum 14- is provided with five faces and upon each face is mounted a rail or combinations of rails adapted to accomplish various switching operations. The rails 15 on one face of thel drum 14; allow of a straight ahead operation of a train or car. The rail 16 is adapted to switch a car from the tracks 12 to the tracks 18,. as best shown in Figure'f.

The rail 17 is adapted to switch a car from the tracks 11 to the tracks 12, The rail 18 switches a oar from the tracks 13 back to the' tracks 12 as shown in Figure 5, and the rail 19 switches a car or train from the tracks 12 back to the tracks 11. It will be obvious that various other combinations may be provided as desired or necessary by theY use of larger drums or of drums having a greater number of operating faces.

In order to facilitate the shifting of the various sizes of drums by simultaneous vop eration a rack 20 is provided extending transversely of the casing 10 mounted in suitable bearings and adapted to co-operate with corresponding gears 22 on the drums 14. The rack 20 is operated by means of a system of straight and bevel gears 23, the

gears 23 in turn being mounted on suitable shafting and controlled by the operation of a switch table 24 mounted above the casing 10 having an operating lever 25 applied thereto and capable of being shifted into a plurality of different positions as indicated by the notches 26.

Mounted on the same shaft which controls the operation of the gears 23, and adapted to be also rotated in accordance with the movement of the table 24 is a signal lantern or the like 28 provided with a plurality `of lenses or other suitable indicating elements 30 corresponding in number to the number of diiferent positions into which the switch drum may be set. A stop 32 is provided on the switch table 24 adapted to limit the movement of the lever and the table to less than 360 degrees, which is necessary in order to prevent'any excess rotation of the ygears 23.

As best shown by the dotted lines in Figure 2, suitable locking means are provided in order to maintain the drums 14 in any desired position, said locking means comprising a circular plate 34 preferably mounted on the end of the drum 14 and having notches formed in the circumference thereof, the notches being adapted to receive the ends of suitable locking levers 36, mounted on standards 38 affixed to an operating bar 40, which in turn is controlled by movements of a locking lever 42, suitably mounted in the casing 10. Co-operating locking bars 37 adapted to co-operate with the plate 34 from points diametrically opposite the bars '136 are also provided and are adapted to be reversely shifted into locking position by means of pivoted levers 39.

Also mounted on the locking levers 36 and 37, and adapted for a pivotal movement in the casing are a plurality of lifting levers as best illustrated at 44 in Figure 2, adapted to co-operate with man-hole covers 46 hingedly mounted flush with the top of the casing 10. The unlocking operation of the lever 42 is adapted to liftthese man-hole covers 46 by means of the operating levers v44 into an open position, as best shown in the dotted lines, so as to allow of a free rotating movement of the drums 14 and the switching rails. The opening of the inanhole covers is accomplished at the same-time as the releasing of the locking bars 36.

Additional man-hole covers 48 are provided in the top of the casing 10 whereby ready inspection and repairs' of the apparatus is had and asuitable drainv 50 is provided at the center of the sloping bottom Qf the casing whereby water, excess oil, and other foreign matter will be drained out of the casing and any interference with the operation of the device prevented. A suitable locking means 52 is provided whereby the lever 42 can be secured against any unauthorized movement thereof.

It will be obvious that herein is provided a railway switch which can be readily installed and applied in railway yards or other places where there are a plurality of tracks and where a number of switching operations is necessary and which, on account of its compactness 'and diversified modiilications will eliminate .many switching operations which are now necessary with the cumbersome apparatus ordinarily used. At the same time suitable locking means is' pro-s1 vided adapted to prevent unauthorized .use of the apparatus and, further, positively moved signal elements are mounted on the operating means so thatY the various conditions and positions of the switching rails will be automatically indicated to the'operators of approaching cars and to switchmen at all times.

I am aware that many changes may be made vand numerous details of constructionvaried throughout a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than as necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention: f f 1. A railway switch, including a rotatable drum, a plurality of switching rails mounted thereon, and a plurality of tracks converging to the point of location of saidk drum, means for shifting the said drum to any one of a number vof desired switching positions, notches in the drums and locking elements comprising manually operated pins co-operating with said notches for maintaining said drum in desired position.

2. A railway switch, including a rotatable drum, a plurality of switching rails mounted thereon, a plurality of tracks converging to the point of location of said drum, means `for shifting the said drum tovany one of a in desired position, said locking means conu-k prising a series of notches inthe rotatable drums, sldable locking levers adapted to colll) operate with said notches, and an operating lever mounted adjacent the switch adapted to move and control said locking levers.

4. A railway switch, including a rotatable drum, a plurality of switching rails mounted thereon, a plurality of tracks converging to the point of location of said drum, means for shifting the said drum to any one of a number of desired switching positions, locking elements for maintaining said drum in desired position, hinged man-hole covers adjacent said drums, and means associated with said locking -mea-ns adapted to open said covers upon release of the locking means.

In testimony whereof I aiix niy signature.

JOHN C. TAFFE. 

